The Nameless Assassin
by Jay Legion
Summary: When Cardinal Richelieu loses Queen Anne's trust, she gives him but one chance to regain it: find her a suitable, female, bodyguard. The Cardinal immediately seizes this chance and has scouts search the land for one particular person. They all return empty-handed, but fortune smiles down upon Cardinal Richelieu. The Nameless Assassin arrives in Paris, all by herself.
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, this is a brand new fic for y'all. It's kinda what has been occupying our mind instead of the other on-going fics. Nonetheless, we hope you enjoy reading it, and as usual, please fav/follow and R&R!**

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><p>The Nameless Assassin had walked a long, long time, when Paris finally came into view.<p>

She sighed.

Finally.

Having no horse was extremely tiresome. She had not owned a horse since _his_ death. At that point, she had given up everything she had owned before. All she had kept were her clothes, her weapons and a small cross pendant, a little trinket that once was _his_. She did not really need a horse anyway. She entered the city and looked around.

It was incredibly crowded. No surprise. It was always crowded in Paris.

Yet, no one even touched her. The aura she radiated, that fear, made sure nobody even dared touch her cloak.

She knew she was feared. She enjoyed it. It was part of her identity. She also knew that the moment she set foot in Paris, she was being watched.

There was a price on her head. A large one.

Some two hundred livres or so.

There was the huge chance that someone would try to kill her. Just to collect the money.

The Cardinal wanted her head, on a plate. Whether or not that was serious.

It probably was.

The Nameless Assassin was almost entirely dressed in black. Black jacket, black pants, black boots, black cloak and a black hat with a black feather.

The only things in different colours were her shirt, which was white linen, the belts wrapped around her waist and chest, made out of dark brown leather, the weapons she carried and her hair.

As an albino, she had short, messy, snow-white hair, which she carefully kept hidden under her hat and collar. It quite stood out, after all.

She was all alone. Everyone she once had, she had lost. She had lost her father, her mother, her brother and her sister, her brother-in-law and her lover. They were all dead.

And every single one of them had died under most unpleasant circumstances.

Their deaths had made her into what she was today: the best assassin in all of Europe.

She did have a name, though. For as far as she knew, there were only two people left in the world who knew it. Herself and the woman who once killed her lover.

She was Emmanuelle Sannomme, Countess du Marchy-sur-Seine.

She laid her hand on her chest and felt the cross she wore under her clothes. It was made out of silver, with a small black onyx stone in the middle. It was _his_; it was all she had left of _him_.

A man watched her from the shadows. When he saw her white peaks, he smiled.

Emmanuelle noticed an old man sitting outside a tavern. The man was doing nothing besides sitting in the sun and drinking.

She walked towards him and blocked his sun.

The old man looked up. 'Can I help you?' he asked.

'You know who I am, old man?' the assassin asked with a low, coarse voice.

The old man looked at her, slightly pensive. He glanced aside to a wanted poster.

It read, '_Wanted, dead or alive: the Nameless Assassin, two hundred livres. Report to the Red Guards or the King's Musketeers immediately if seen_.'

The man in the shadows knew the old man. He knew who he was and where he lived.

He then turned around and ran away, silently, unnoticed. He thought.

Emmanuelle glanced at him.

That man was probably going to the Cardinal. _Oh, well_….

The old man looked back at the assassin in front of him and paled.

'That's right,' she grinned. 'That's me. Don't scream. If you scream, you're dead. Got it?'

The man nodded frightened.

'What's your name, old man?'

'Jean-Luc Pequar,' the old man whispered.

'Well, Jean-Luc, you're going to be of use to me today,' the Nameless Assassin said calmly.

'H-how…?' Jean-Luc asked softly.

'I won't be in Paris for a long time, but people will try to contact me. You will be my contact point.'

'Your… contact point?' the old man asked hesitantly.

'Yes. It's that or I will butcher you and your entire family.'

The old man turned as white as a sheet.

'However, if you do as I say, you will be well-paid.'

'P-paid?' Jean-Luc asked.

'Two gold coins and the lives of you and your family. Good enough?'

The old man nodded trembling.

'Good.'

'S-so what will you have me do?' Jean-Luc asked.

'You're going to sit right there all day. People will come here and ask for me,' the assassin said.

'And then what?'

'Then you ask them why they want to talk to me. If they say they are sent by someone high in power, you ask them who. Only if they can't tell you, then you tell them where I am,' Emmanuelle said. 'Understood?'

'I don't understand why I should only tell them when they can't say who sent them,' Jean-Luc said.

'If they can't say, that means they either want to kill me or will be killed when they say it,' the assassin said calmly.

'You want me to send someone who wants to kill you?' the old man asked surprised.

'Yes. They won't succeed anyway,' Emmanuelle said dryly. 'I'll be in the tavern.'

She walked past him, down the stairs, and entered the tavern.

'What can I get you, sir?' a barmaid asked, oblivious to the fact that the person in front of her was actually a woman.

Who could blame her? It was barely noticeable.

'A corner table and a good bottle of wine,' the Nameless Assassin said with her low, rough voice.

The young girl pointed to an empty table in a corner.

'Will that one do, sir?' she asked.

The assassin nodded and walked over to it. She sat down next to it and rested one arm on the back the chair. With her other hand, she pulled her hat down slightly, to shadow her face.

A few moments later, the barmaid put a bottle of wine and a glass on the table.

'There you go,' she said.

'Thanks,' Emmanuelle said and put some coins on the table.

The young girl smiled and took the money. Then she continued to serve the rest of her customers.

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><p><strong>NB. If you guys would like to read fics based on other stuff, tell us and we'll see what we can do for you. It'll still be OC, but that's merely because we don't write anything else... Nevertheless, we have a wide variation of fics at our disposal, so the chance there's something in there that you guys like is quite big. We have put down a list of our fandoms in our profile, so, if you want to know what we write about andor make a request, have a look! ^-^**


	2. Chapter 2

**Have a new chapter, y'all! We're back in all our crazy glory. :3 This story will update round-about every Thursday. Please enjoy, and fav/follow and R&R!**

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><p>The man who had shadowed her earlier on ran to the palace. He stopped next to a guard, panting.<p>

'State your business,' the guard said.

'I need to speak with the Cardinal. It's urgent,' the man panted.

'What's it about?' the guard asked.

'I can't tell you. It's state business.'

'I'll see if he's available,' the guard sighed. 'What should I tell him when he asks what it's about?'

'N A,' the man said.

'N A?'

'He'll know.'

The guard sighed again and quickly went to Cardinal Richelieu's study. He knocked on the door.

'Yes?' the Cardinal asked.

The guard opened the door.

'Excuse me, Your Eminence,' he said. 'There's a man who wants to speak to you. He said it's urgent.'

'Did he say why?' Cardinal Richelieu asked, seated behind his desk.

'Yes, Your Eminence. He said it was about state business.'

'Did he specify on anything?'

'He said N A,' the guard said, slightly trembling.

'N A?' Cardinal Richelieu exclaimed. 'Send that man in here right away!'

The guard bowed nervously and turned around immediately. He ran back to the man at the gate.

'He wants to see you right away,' he said, panting again.

The man nodded and ran up the stairs to Cardinal Richelieu's study.

He bowed slightly and took a few moments to catch his breath.

'Tell me exactly what you saw,' Cardinal Richelieu said, while he stood up from his desk.

'Yes, Monsignor, I saw someone fitting the exact description of the Nameless Assassin,' the man said. 'He walked past Notre Dame and then stopped to talk to an old man in front of a tavern.'

'Do you know that old man?' Cardinal Richelieu asked.

'Yes, his name is Jean-Luc Pequar.'

The Cardinal exhaled slowly.

'Thank you…' he said.

'Of course, Your Eminence.'

Cardinal Richelieu grabbed his purse and handed the man fifty sous. 'For your effort.'

The man bowed again. 'Thank you, Your Eminence,' he said and left again.

When the man had left, the Cardinal took a piece of paper, quickly wrote a letter and sealed it.

Then he walked down to the stables.

He grabbed one of the stable-boys, just a kid from about ten years old, in his collar.

'Boy, can you run through Paris without being seen?' he asked.

The boy nodded. 'Yes, Monsignor.'

'Good,' the Cardinal said and handed the note to the kid. 'I want you to get this note to Captain Treville of the King's Musketeers as soon as possible. You'll get ten sous for it. Can you do that?'

'Yes, Monsignor,' the boy said and ran off with the letter.

He ran through the city to the Musketeers' headquarters, where most of the King's Guards were training and polishing their skills.

Captain Treville looked down into the small courtyard.

Several Musketeers were training there, including Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan.

A young boy came running in.

He looked around until he saw the Captain. Then he ran up the stairs.

Captain Treville recognised him. He worked in the palace stables.

'Monsieur Captain,' the boy panted. 'I have a note for you, from His Eminence the Cardinal.'

He held out a sealed piece of paper. The Captain looked at him and took the piece of paper. It indeed carried the Cardinal's seal.

'Go get a drink downstairs, boy,' Treville said and handed him a ten sous-piece.

The boy nodded gratefully and ran down the stairs again.

Treville broke the seal of the note and began to read.

'_Captain Treville, I would like to borrow the four of your best Musketeers, Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan. I need them to find someone for me. This person is currently in Paris, which is a very rare opportunity. Please send them to me, as quick as possible_.

_Sincerely, Cardinal A. Richelieu_.'

Treville sighed and put the note in his pocket. Then he walked down the stairs.

The four Musketeers looked up and paused their training.

'Captain Treville,' Aramis said.

'Gentlemen,' the Captain said. 'I just received a note from the Cardinal. He wishes to borrow your services. Please report to the palace as quick as possible.'

'Just the four of us?' D'Artagnan asked.

'Yes, just the four of you,' Treville said. 'He wants you to find someone for him. I don't know any further details.'

'Then let's go and find out,' Porthos said.

The others nodded and they immediately left for the palace.

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><p>When they arrived at the palace, they walked down the hallway, up the stairs to the Cardinal's study.<p>

Athos knocked on the door.

'Come in,' Cardinal Richelieu said.

Athos opened the door and the four of them entered. The Cardinal was seated behind his desk.

'You wanted to see us, Your Eminence,' Athos said.

'Yes,' Cardinal Richelieu said. 'I'm glad you could make it so fast.'

'No problem, Your Eminence,' Aramis said calmly.

'As you may know,' the Cardinal continued. 'Queen Anne has requested that I find her a good bodyguard. Of course, Her Majesty only gets the best of the best. Now I have set my eye on someone quite some while ago. However, this person is very, _very_ difficult to track down. Today, I learned from one of my many eyes and ears in the city that by chance this particular person is in fact in Paris at the moment, which is most fortunate and quite a rare opportunity. I want you four to find this person and bring him or her to me, alive and, if possible, unharmed.'

'Him or her?' D'Artagnan asked surprised.

'Yes. No one knows for sure,' the Cardinal sighed. 'No one has ever been able to get a good look at this person's face. All we know is his or her alias.'

'Which is?'

'The Nameless Assassin,' Cardinal Richelieu said calmly.

'You want the Nameless Assassin to guard Her Majesty?' Aramis exclaimed. 'That is insane!'

'Would you mind keeping it down?' Cardinal Richelieu said irritated.

'Why would you even consider someone like that as a bodyguard?' Athos asked surprised.

'The Nameless Assassin is loyal to whoever pays him,' Porthos said. 'Or at least, that's what I heard about him.'

Cardinal Richelieu nodded. 'Exactly.'

'And when that guy is loyal to you, he'll protect you with his life,' Porthos added. 'That would indeed make one hell of a bodyguard.'

'My point precisely,' the Cardinal said.

'So where's this guy?' Athos asked.

'According to my source, there's an old man who sits in front of a tavern near Notre Dame. His name is Jean-Luc Pequar. He knows.'

'Anything else we ought to know?' Aramis asked.

'Make sure you're well-armed. The Nameless Assassin is the deadliest in all of Europe,' Cardinal Richelieu said.

The Musketeers nodded and left the palace.

'So who is this Nameless Assassin anyway?' D'Artagnan asked.

'The Nameless Assassin is the deadliest assassin in all of Europe,' Athos said. 'No one knows anything about him, besides the fact that you have to be very wealthy if you want him to work for you.'

'No one who's ever had a close look at him lived to tell the tale,' Aramis added.

'Really?' the aspiring Musketeer asked surprised.

'Yes,' Athos said. 'All we know for sure is a vague description: he is dressed all in black with a cloak and a hat and he has short snow-white hair.'

'Is he really old or something?'

'We don't know.'

'Right.' D'Artagnan kept quiet for a moment. 'This is not going to be an easy one, is it?'

'Is it ever?' Aramis said with a smile. The Musketeers laughed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the delay. We totally forgot to update it yesterday. Other than that, many MANY thanks to our new favs and follows, and of course our guest reviewer! You really made our day :) Please let us know what you all think of our writing, and please fav/follow and RandR!**

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><p>They walked down the streets to Notre Dame and found the tavern the Cardinal had mentioned.<p>

There was an old man sitting in front of it. He was sitting in the sun, enjoying a bottle of wine.

'Jean-Luc Pequar?' Athos asked.

'Who wants to know?' the old man asked, looking up.

'We're Musketeers. We're looking for someone. Word goes you know where he is,' Porthos said.

'Maybe. Who sent you?' Jean-Luc said.

'Someone who wants this guy alive and, if possible, unharmed,' Athos said.

'Fair enough. Who are you looking for?'

'The Nameless Assassin.'

'Alive and unharmed?'

'Yes.'

'Ah….' The old man kept silent for a moment, thinking. Then he nodded.

'I know where he is.'

'Really?' Porthos asked.

'Yes. You'll find your guy downstairs in the tavern behind me, at a corner table, alone, drinking wine,' Jean-Luc said.

'Drunk?'

'How would I know?'

'Fair enough…' Athos said. 'Gentlemen, let's go and fetch ourselves an assassin, shall we?'

The four Musketeers walked down the stairs and entered the tavern. They looked around.

'What can I get you gentlemen?' the young barmaid asked.

'At the moment nothing, my dear, thank you,' Aramis said. 'We're just looking for someone.'

'Who?'

'Can't tell you, sorry. State business,' Aramis said with his ever-charming smile.

'Okay then,' the young girl said and smiled back. She then continued with her work.

The Musketeers carried on searching the place.

The Nameless Assassin sat in the corner and watched them, still drinking wine. She didn't feel the effects of it. She never did.

'Hey mate!' some drunk called at her. 'Come drink with us!'

'I'm not your mate,' Emmanuelle growled. 'Piss off.'

D'Artagnan nudged the others. 'Is that him?'

'Yeah, I think so,' Athos said and pulled out a most wanted-paper to check it. 'Yes, that's our man.'

'That's not a man,' Aramis said, rather surprised. 'That's a woman!'

The others stared at him. 'You sure?'

'Definitely. You can see the hint of a bosom right there,' Aramis said.

'Oh, come on, mate,' the drunk called. 'Don't be such a pussy!'

'I said, piss off,' Emmanuelle grumbled and emptied her glass.

She refilled it again.

The drunk tried to stand up and reached for his sword. 'You asshole–' he began.

'Hey, hey, calm down,' Aramis said. 'If the lady wants to be left alone, you should leave her alone.'

'Hûh?' the man said.

Emmanuelle was just about to take a sip. She sighed and groaned exasperated. Then she emptied her glass at once and slammed it on the table.

The drunken man was utterly confused and sat down again.

'Well done, _monsieur_,' Emmanuelle growled and pushed her hat slightly back again. 'You have managed to ruin my mood and my disguise in one sentence. Congratulations, that's a new record.'

She stood up and stepped forward.

'I apologise, my lady,' Aramis said and lifted his head. 'I did not mean to offend you.'

'Do I look like a lady to you?'

'I guess not….'

'Then don't call me 'my lady',' Emmanuelle said annoyed.

'Of course. I apologise,' Aramis said. 'Again.'

'Whatever.' The assassin crossed her arms.

'You better have a very good reason for bothering me,' she then said.

'Yes, in fact I do,' Aramis said. 'I am looking for the Nameless Assassin.'

The whole place turned dead quiet.

'What are you looking at?' Emmanuelle asked them annoyed.

The guests returned to their conversations, of course keeping their ears pricked.

'You were saying?'

'I said I was looking for the Nameless Assassin,' Aramis said, a tiny bit uneasy.

'You found me,' Emmanuelle said. 'Well done; you just signed your death warrant.'

'It's a good thing I've brought some friends then,' Aramis said, his ever so charming smile returning, gesturing at his fellow Musketeers.

'Well then, you signed theirs as well,' Emmanuelle said with a disdainful smile. 'How chivalrous.'

'Wait, you're the Nameless Assassin?' D'Artagnan asked surprised.

'Shut your mouth, junior. I'm not talking to you.'

D'Artagnan closed his mouth, slightly unnerved.

'Why were you looking for me anyway, whoever you are?' Emmanuelle asked.

'We're Musketeers. I am Aramis and these are Athos, Porthos and D'Artagnan. We have orders to take you with us, alive and, if possible, unharmed.'

'Alive and unharmed?' Emmanuelle asked with a raised eyebrow. 'That's new.'

'Yes, well,' Aramis said. 'You have to come with us. We have orders.'

'Well, that's going to problematic,' the assassin said calmly.

'And why is that?'

'You pissed me off.'

'Oh, right. I did apologise, didn't I?'

'So? You think a simple 'I'm sorry' is going to solve anything? That's adorable.'

The Musketeers looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

Emmanuelle rested her hand on the knob of her sword.

'So how are we going to settle this little matter of ours…' she said slowly.

'We can't just take you with us and leave, I suppose,' Porthos said.

'Oh, look at that, he can talk,' the assassin sneered. 'But no, you're right. That is never going to happen.'

'Keep that butter knife of yours in your pocket,' she suddenly snapped, turning her head to the right.

The drunk from before, had reached for his sword, but put his hand back on the table at her words.

'Same goes for your one-eyed friend behind me,' Emmanuelle said, turning slightly.

A man with an eye patch behind her sat down again.

'That's better…' the assassin said. 'Now, to return to our little problem…. Either everyone inside here is going to die… or we take this outside and settle this as grown-ups…. Your call.'

'How is everyone here going to die?' D'Artagnan asked with a raised eyebrow.

'There's a price on my head, boy,' the Nameless Assassin said calmly. 'Two hundred livres, dead or alive. There are enough people here willing to kill every single person in here to collect that money. If we settle this here, the chance that you four die is, well, a hundred percent. However, then a good thirty people will be witness of that and I don't like loose ends. So then, I will have to kill every single one of them, including that lovely little barmaid and her family. Do you understand?'

D'Artagnan nodded silently.

'So then we take it outside,' Athos said. 'Simple as that.'

'Except, you pissed me off. I don't feel like going anywhere with any of you,' Emmanuelle said calmly.

Aramis sighed. 'So how are we going to solve this?' he asked.

'Oh, I know,' D'Artagnan said and pulled his sword, which he laid against the assassin's neck.

She did not even flinch.

'Careful with that toothpick of yours,' she said calmly while she pushed it away with two fingers. 'You might accidentally hurt someone.'

'D'Artagnan…' Athos said cautionary. 'Remember who this is….'

The young man sighed and sheathed his sword again.

Then he pulled out his gun and pointed it directly at Emmanuelle's head.

'Come with us. Now,' he said.

'Put that popgun away, boy. I am not in the mood for games,' she said annoyed.

'I will put it away if you come with us,' D'Artagnan said nonchalantly.

'Look at that; did you suddenly decide to grow balls?' the assassin taunted.

'Mademoiselle, if you would please come with us, I'd be most happy,' Aramis said.

'Oh, so you're supposed to be a gentleman…' Emmanuelle said. 'But _fine_… I will humour you. Just this once. This is a too fine establishment to be wasted anyway.'

'So you're coming with us?' Aramis asked hopeful.

'I did say so, didn't I? Use your ears, I don't like repeating myself.'

She then glanced at D'Artagnan. 'Are you going to keep that pea shooter pointed at me?'

'Yes. I don't trust you.'

'Oh, well…. If it makes you feel any more comfortable…' Emmanuelle shrugged. 'Do as you please. You're not faster than me anyway.'

'Move,' D'Artagnan said, gesturing with the gun from the assassin to the door.

Emmanuelle laughed, but did walk outside, followed by the four Musketeers.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks so much to our new favs and followers! :) Here's a new chapter for y'all. We hope you'll enjoy reading it, and as usual, please fav/follow and review!**

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><p>When they stepped outside, the old man looked up for a second, to return to his wine immediately after. He did not want to have anything to do with it.<p>

The Musketeers walked past Emmanuelle and turned around to face her.

'So how are we going to solve this?' Athos asked.

'Oh, you'll see,' the assassin said calmly.

'See what?'

Emmanuelle said nothing and smiled.

'So who sent you?' she then asked.

'Cardinal Richelieu,' Aramis said. 'He wants to employ you.'

'The Cardinal wants to employ me?' Emmanuelle asked. 'Forgive me, but I am not inclined to believe you for a second. That man wants my head. On a plate.'

'Well, he changed his mind.'

'Got anything to proof that?'

'No,' Athos said. 'But we do not tend to lie to ladies. Whether or not they dress like one.'

'Why would you think that I am a lady?'

'The way you talk when you are not in disguise,' Athos said. 'And your accent.'

'My accent?' Emmanuelle asked, raising an eyebrow.

'It is familiar somehow.'

'Well, it's my accent. Unless you are from the same province as I am, I have no idea how you would be familiar with this accent.'

Athos said nothing.

'So are you?'

'I don't know where you are from,' Athos said. 'We don't know anything about you.'

'That's true…. So what are you? A Count? A Baron?' Emmanuelle asked calmly.

'I'm afraid that is none of your business,' Athos said.

'Oh, right. Of course not. Apologies.'

'There he is!' a man suddenly cried out.

Emmanuelle looked at him and smiled almost invisibly. The man was standing at the other end of the street. Five or six men quickly gathered behind him.

'That's the man that killed my brother! Get him!' the same man cried.

They charged at her, their swords drawn.

'Not a step closer,' Athos said. 'You are not taking this man anywhere.'

'And why is that?' the man asked angrily.

'Because the Cardinal's wishes are of greater importance than yours. Your vengeance shall have to wait until His Eminence is done with this man,' the Musketeer said calmly.

'I ain't gonna let you walk off with that murderer,' the man snapped.

He charged at Athos, furious, and possibly drunk. Athos simply leaned to one side. The man tripped and nearly fell. His friends immediately charged at Athos as well.

Aramis and Porthos drew their swords and went to help him.

'Keep an eye on our _friend_ here,' Aramis told D'Artagnan.

'Why me?'

'Because you're the youngest,' Aramis smiled. 'Now keep an eye on 'him'.'

D'Artagnan sighed. 'Fine….'

Emmanuelle smiled. She watched the three Musketeers fight the six, seven men at once. Impressed by their skill, she huff amused.

She continued to keep an eye on D'Artagnan as well though. He had trouble focusing on her.

He really wanted to join the fight.

Emmanuelle smiled and winked at him.

Only for a few seconds, the young man looked away, at the fight.

Immediately, Emmanuelle disappeared behind the old man. She pulled a dagger out of her boot and held it against Jean-Luc's back.

'That point you feel in your back is a poisoned dagger,' she hissed. 'One scratch and you're history. So keep quiet.'

The old man trembled slightly, but did not make a sound.

'When they realise I'm gone, they will ask you where I went. Point in the wrong direction. One hint at my real location and you are dead. Now pretend that I am not here.'

Jean-Luc exhaled slowly.

D'Artagnan looked back at where the assassin had been standing and turned pale instantly.

'Guys! Guys, stop!' he shouted. 'He's gone!'

The men immediately stopped fighting.

'What happened to 'keep an eye on him'?' Aramis asked angered.

'I'm sorry; I only looked away for a second. He can't have gone far,' D'Artagnan said unhappily.

'You, old man,' Athos said to Jean-Luc. 'Did you see where he went?'

'Y-yes…' the old man said a bit startled and pointed to the left street. 'H-he went that way….'

'Okay, let's go,' Porthos said and ran into that street, followed by the other Musketeers.

The angry man, whose brother apparently had been murdered, followed them with his friends.

'They're gone,' Jean-Luc said softly.

'Good,' Emmanuelle said and stood up.

She then walked in the complete opposite direction.

'Wait, are you not done with me yet?' the old man called after her.

'You wish. They are still after me, old man. Just stay there.'

The Nameless Assassin disappeared into the maze of streets called Paris.

She knew where she wanted to go.

At this moment, it would be the only place safe in all of Paris.

When she crossed the bridge to the Ile de la Cité and looked up at the magnificent cathedral in front of her, she smiled.

It had been too long.

She took off her head and entered the church.

Aramis watched her through his spyglass from across the bridge.

'Gotcha…' he muttered.

He returned to the other Musketeers.

'Any luck?' D'Artagnan asked.

Porthos shook his head.

'Nothing,' Athos grumbled.

'Me neither,' the young man sighed.

'Gentlemen,' Aramis smiled. 'I have found our lovely lady.'

'Where is she?' Athos asked.

'Notre Dame.'

'What is she doing there?'

'I don't know. But I'll go in to find her and talk to her,' Aramis said. 'You three shall keep an eye on the exits.'

'Why are you going to talk to her?' D'Artagnan asked.

'With all due respect, my young friend,' Aramis said. 'I believe I have the most people-skills of the four of us. And the lady seems to be… moody, to put it nicely.'

Athos nodded. 'Sounds good. Let's do it.'

'Yes, let's,' Porthos agreed.

The four Musketeers crossed the same bridge the assassin had crossed earlier on.

In the meantime, Emmanuelle walked to a statue of the Virgin Mary and lit a few candles.

'Father, mother, brother, sister, in-law, lover,' she muttered, one name per candle.

She then made a small cross while mumbling the usual prayer that went with that, and dropped a few coins in the collection box.

'Thank you, my child,' a priest said.

Emmanuelle looked up and smiled briefly.

'Do you wish to confess, my child?' the elderly man asked.

'Do you have all day, Father?' the assassin asked him.

'Is it that bad?' the priest asked.

'I'm afraid so, Father. Don't waste your time with me. There is no salvation for my kind anyway.'

'My dear, I believe everyone can be saved.'

'Not me, Father, not me.'

'Then for whom did you light those candles?' the priest asked curiously.

'My family. They all died long ago. They were good people, every single one of them. They deserve salvation,' Emmanuelle said softly.

'Ah, I see,' the priest said and smiled. 'God bless you anyway, my dear.'

The assassin smiled. 'God bless you too, Father.'

The priest smiled again and walked the other way.

She then walked to the front of the church and sat down in a pew. She laid her hat down next to her and pulled the cross out from under her shirt. Then she kneeled down, rested her elbows on the back of the pew in front of her, her hands folded around the cross.

She looked up to the rose window for a moment, sighed deeply and closed her eyes.

Then she began her prayer.

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><p><strong>AN: the Ile de la Cité is one of the two small islands in the Seine, the river that flows through Paris. The Notre-Dame, famous for its rose window, is located there.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you all, favs and followers! Love you loads. Here's a new chapter for you all :) Please fav/follow and leave a review. Tell us what you think of our writing :3**

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><p>Aramis silently entered the church and took off his hat as well.<p>

He looked around. He spotted the white-haired assassin somewhere in the front of the church. He walked towards her.

She seemed to be praying, something he found quite odd. He would not have thought she'd be the praying type.

He sat down next to her and assessed her face. Five scars distorted the skin around her left eye. Her face was cold and calm. She was definitely older than him or his friends.

'You're quite the quick one,' he said.

Emmanuelle opened one eye, glanced at him and closed it again.

A few moments later, she made a cross and let go of the pendant in her hand.

'It is not very polite to interrupt someone's prayer, you know,' she said.

'So you were actually praying,' Aramis said surprised. 'I apologise. I didn't think you were the praying type.'

'Oh, just because I am an assassin, I don't get to pray?' Emmanuelle asked offended.

'That's not what I meant,' Aramis said apologetically.

The assassin huffed annoyed.

'What were you praying for anyway?' Aramis then asked.

'Salvation.'

'Salvation?'

'Yes. Not for myself, of course. There is no salvation for the likes of me,' Emmanuelle said.

'For who then?' Aramis asked. He was truly curious now.

'My family. My parents, my two siblings, my brother-in-law and my lover.'

'Why?'

'They're all dead. They deserve salvation. They were good people,' the assassin said sadly.

'What happened to them?' Aramis asked.

'Why would I tell you?'

'You don't have to. I am simply curious.'

The white-haired woman sighed deeply.

'Fine…. I'll tell you…,' she said and kept silent for a moment. Then she began.

'I had a family once, long ago. A father, a mother, a brother and a sister. They were twins. When I was five and they were three, my parents died in a fire. My siblings and I were brought to an orphanage. The two of them were adopted soon after, but I wasn't. I was a devil's child… because of my white hair and purple-red eyes. I grew up there, grew into a thief, a mercenary, a murderer. I became so good at my job that I became the most dangerous assassin in France. My sister was mugged and raped when she was seventeen. She died of her injuries. My brother was killed when he tried to help her. My sister was engaged at the time. Her fiancé grew mad with grief and rode out to avenge her. They slaughtered him like a pig. I could never sleep soundly again after that.'

She kept silent for a moment. 'I met my lover about five years later. He was the first one to make my nightmares end. He took care of me, my Misha…. He became the person people had to contact if they wanted me to do a job for them. He was my everything.'

The assassin paused. She smiled at the memories.

'Sounds like you had a great life for an assassin,' Aramis said softly.

'Yeah, I had…' Emmanuelle smiled. 'Seven or eight years ago however, that life ended.'

'What happened?'

'One day I came home from a job. We had a little house in a small village far away from everything. I couldn't find him anywhere until I looked in the garden. There I found him, pinned to a tree, being tortured by some woman. She had long dark curls, a cold but beautiful face and a smug smile. She claimed she had all the information about me that she wanted; my real name, my weaknesses, my habits, and that she would use all that against me, to bring me down. Before I could do anything at all, she killed my Misha. I was broken, for a while at least. I didn't work for several weeks. I buried him, I mourned him, and I vowed I would avenge him.'

'That is a rather sad story…' Aramis said quietly.

Emmanuelle sighed. 'Perhaps…. She is the only reason I ever came to Paris again. I came to hunt her, to kill her. I will find her. It may take the rest of my life, but I will, and I will have my vengeance.'

'Of course you will,' the Musketeer said silently. 'I hope you do. However, right now, I am afraid I have orders to bring you to the Cardinal. Please come with me this time.'

'I won't. I am sorry, monsieur Aramis, but I tend not to believe anything until I have seen proof.'

'Anything we can do about that?' Aramis asked hopefully.

'Actually it's rather simple,' Emmanuelle said and smiled. 'Bring me proof. Get the Cardinal to write me a note, with his personal signature and his personal seal. And I want the guarantee that I can walk in and out of the palace without being arrested or killed. You think you can do that?'

Aramis sighed relieved. He nodded. 'That should not be a problem.'

'Good,' the assassin said, stood up and picked up her hat.

'You're leaving again?' Aramis asked. 'You know my friends have the exits covered, right?'

'All of them? I don't think so,' Emmanuelle said with a smile. 'Cathedrals are known for their many exits, secret and non-secret. I have been here many times. I know them all.'

Aramis sighed.

'Give that note to the old man at the tavern,' Emmanuelle continued. 'He'll pass it on to me. Good afternoon, monsieur Aramis.'

The Musketeer nodded. He looked up at the famous rose window for a moment.

When he looked back at the assassin, she had disappeared. Again. He sighed and stood up.

Then he left the cathedral and joined his friends.

'Where is she?' Athos asked.

'She managed to elude me again,' Aramis said with a sigh. 'However, she did tell me how to get her to the Cardinal.'

'Did that need to take so long?' Porthos asked amazed.

'No, but we talked about her life,' Aramis said. 'I found her praying and asked her why. She then told me how she had become an assassin. Quite a heart-breaking story actually. And then she told me how we can get her to Cardinal Richelieu.'

'Okay, how?' D'Artagnan asked.

'She will only believe us if we have proof. So, we have to get back to Richelieu and ask him to write a note, to sign it with his personal signature and to seal it with his personal seal. And she wants the guarantee that she can walk in and out of the palace without being arrested or killed.'

'That should not be a problem,' Athos said.

The Musketeer smiled agreeing and returned to the palace.


	6. Chapter 6

**Many thanks to our lovely reviewer and to our favs and follows! Here's a new chapter with love. Enjoy! And please, fav/follow and leave a review.**

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><p>When they arrived at the Cardinal's study, Aramis knocked on the door.<p>

'Come in,' the older man called.

The four men entered.

Cardinal Richelieu looked surprised. 'Where is the assassin?' he asked.

'She managed to elude us,' Aramis said slightly sulky. 'Twice. But she did tell us how we can get her here.'

'Ah. And how is that going to happen?' the Cardinal asked.

'She told us she has the tendency not to believe anything until it is proven to her, so we had to get her proof,' Athos said.

'What kind of proof?'

'A note, written by you, with your personal signature and seal, Your Eminence,' Aramis said. 'And the guarantee that she can walk in and out of the palace without being arrested or killed.'

Cardinal Richelieu nodded. 'That won't be a problem.'

He took a piece of paper and a pen. A few minutes later, he folded it up and sealed it with his personal seal.

'There you go,' he said and handed it to the Musketeers.

'Thank you, Your Eminence,' Aramis said and took the note.

Then the four Musketeers left the study again.

'I expect more result soon, gentlemen,' the Cardinal called after them.

The men walked down the stairs and left the palace.

'So how do we get that note to her?' D'Artagnan asked.

'That old man,' Aramis said.

'So he pointed us in the wrong direction on purpose,' Porthos grumbled.

'I think it's quite possible she threatened him into doing so,' Athos said.

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><p>In the meantime, they had arrived at the same tavern.<p>

'Hello again, Jean-Luc,' Aramis said.

The old man looked up and recognised the Musketeers. In the dark space behind him, the albino assassin smirked soundlessly.

'Can I help you, gentlemen?' Jean-Luc asked.

Aramis handed him the Cardinal's note.

'Can you get this to the Nameless Assassin?' he asked.

The old man glanced at the paper and the seal, nodded and looked over his shoulder.

Emmanuelle stood up and emerged from the shadows.

'A note for you,' Jean-Luc said and handed her the piece of paper.

Emmanuelle smiled and studied the seal.

'Hmmm, his personal seal… interesting…' she muttered before she broke it.

Then she read the letter.

'_To the Nameless Assassin,_

_I sent these four Musketeers to collect you for a very simple reason: I have a job offer for you.  
><em>_This matter however, is too delicate to discuss over mail or out on the street, so I would like you to meet me in my study. I would prefer if you let the Musketeer escort you, but I can understand if you will not let them.  
><em>_I do hope you at least will consider my offer. If you accept, I will drop all charges against you. If you do not, of course I will not.  
><em>_Whatever decision you make however, I will guarantee that you will be able to walk in and out of the palace without being arrested or killed.  
><em>_Hoping that this will suffice,_

_Sincerely, Cardinal Armand Jean de Richelieu_'

'And his personal signature…' she mumbled.

She then threw the letter in the fire and waited until it was nothing but ashes. She put two gold coins in the old man's hand.

'You're done, old man,' she said. 'Get lost.'

Jean-Luc stood up and scurried off.

'Did you even know his name?' Aramis asked.

'Of course,' Emmanuelle said slightly offended. 'And the names of his family members. In case, he did not do his job and I needed to kill them all. As I said, I don't like loose ends….'

The Musketeers did not know what to say to that.

'So…' the assassin said after a while. 'What shall we do now…?'

'You come with us to the Cardinal,' Athos said.

'Yeah, that is not going happen…' Emmanuelle said calmly. 'I don't like escorts.'

She glanced past D'Artagnan and smirked.

'You might want to duck,' she smiled.

The young man looked behind him and ducked immediately.

Emmanuelle veered to one side, dodging the projectile.

'Good afternoon, gentlemen,' she said calmly. 'I will see you later. In the palace, perhaps?'

She then walked right past them and disappeared into the maze of Paris again.

The Musketeers were too busy holding off the angry drunk from before to notice where she went. The angry drunk was too busy trying to get past the Musketeers to notice her even leaving.

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><p>The assassin walked to the palace, sticking to the shadows.<p>

Unseen, invisible, as if she did not exist.

She observed the building. In a side street was an entrance for servants. It was not frequently used. The door was not locked either. It would appear it was no longer in use. Then she saw why.

A few yards away, another door was being used quite frequent. Servants and servant girls walked in and out almost all the time.

Emmanuelle looked around to see if no one would see her cross the street. Then she dashed to the other side of the road.

She crept closer to the unused door. When no one was looking, she opened it.

It led to a staircase, which led to a corridor that joined the two doors. She walked up the stairs and turned to the right.

A servant girl walked past without noticing the figure in the shadowy recess.

She opened the door on the left of the top of the staircase.

It was a cupboard full of sewing supplies.

Suddenly she felt a hand covering her mouth and a sharp dagger on her throat.

She wanted to scream, but of course, the hand over her mouth kept her from doing so.

'That dagger against your throat is poisoned,' the assassin growled. 'Scream and you die.'

The girl nodded trembling.

'Tell me exactly how to get to the Cardinal's study,' Emmanuelle snarled. 'If you lie, I'll know. I will come back for you and I will kill you. Got it?'

The poor girl nodded again.

'Now tell me.' The assassin removed her hand from the girl's mouth.

The servant gave her very precise directions.

'Thank you…' Emmanuelle said softly and let go off her.

The girl wanted to walk away, but a hard blow of a dagger's haft on her head turned her world dark.

The assassin lifted the unconscious girl up and hid her in the recess. Then she walked through the door, up the stairs, sneaking past everyone.

She followed the servant girl's directions and ended up at a closed door. That door led to a small hall with one door at the other end, the door to the Cardinal's study.

A few Red Guards were sitting in the hallway. They hadn't noticed her yet. Suddenly they stood up and walked to the door.

Emmanuelle hid herself behind it, careful not to make a sound. The guards walked right past her, not noticing her at all. They walked down the hallway through which she had come.

She slipped through the door.

A sudden hard blow on her head rendered her dizzy.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the lateness, sweeties. We were incredibly busy. However, many thanks to all our favs and followers and our reviewer. Here's a new chapter for y'all! Enjoy! And please, fav/follow and review**

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><p>Two guards had been hiding themselves around the corner. They forced her on her knees and tied her hands on her back.<p>

The assassin blinked a few times and shook her head to clear it.

'Let me go!' she snarled. 'Let me go!'

'Shut up,' one of them growled and they dragged her into the Cardinal's study.

Emmanuelle uttered some terrible curses and struggled to get free.

The guards dropped her on the floor in Cardinal Richelieu's study.

The latter looked up, surprised.

'Let me go, you unsophisticated swine!' she snapped.

The other guard struck her hard in the face.

'That is not how you speak in the presence of a man of God, you atrocity,' he said angrily.

'Go to hell, pig,' Emmanuelle replied furiously.

The man hit her again, now on her other cheek. 'Shut your mouth, you murderer,' he hissed.

The Cardinal looked at them for a moment, frowned and stood up from his desk.

'Untie him immediately,' he said.

The two guards looked confused at each other.

'But he's a wanted criminal,' one of them protested.

'Untie him,' Cardinal Richelieu repeated sternly. 'Now.'

'No need for that, Your Eminence,' Emmanuelle said calmly and slipped a small knife out of her glove with which she cut herself free. 'You should know better than to think me helpless.'

She stood up and brushed off her clothes. She looked around.

'I seem to have dropped my hat…. Mind picking it up for me?' she calmly asked the guards.

The guards looked at each other and coughed confoundedly. One of them bent over, picked the black hat up and handed it to the assassin.

'Thank you,' she said and cleaned it up.

'Leave us,' Cardinal Richelieu said calmly.

The guards nodded and immediately left the room. The assassin watched them leave and then turned back to the Cardinal.

'Cardinal Armand Jean de Richelieu…' she said slowly. 'How nice to finally meet you….'

'And you are Emmanuelle Sannomme, Countess du Marchy-sur-Seine,' Cardinal Richelieu said calmly. 'Better known as the Nameless Assassin.'

'Where did you learn that name?' Emmanuelle exclaimed.

'_I_ told him,' an all too familiar female voice said.

Emmanuelle looked back. 'You…' she gasped.

Milady de Winter smiled coldly.

Faster than anyone expected, the assassin dropped her hat, grabbed a dagger and floored the woman. She pinned Milady down and held the dagger at her throat.

'Give me one _very_ good reason not to slaughter you on the spot,' she growled.

'She works for me,' Cardinal Richelieu said slightly shaken. 'Release her. Now.'

Emmanuelle growled angrily, but released her. She put her dagger back and stood up.

'Did you order her to murder my lover?' she furiously asked the Cardinal.

'No, she wasn't working for me at the time,' Cardinal Richelieu said. 'What she did were her own actions.'

'Why?' Emmanuelle angrily asked Milady. 'Why did you kill him?'

'Because I wanted to,' Milady said calmly. 'I wanted leverage over you, my one rival.'

'You pathetic bitch…' the assassin hissed and then turned to the Cardinal. 'The moment she doesn't work for you anymore, I _will_ slaughter her.'

'I will let you,' the Cardinal said calmly. 'Now leave us, Milady.'

Milady looked offended, but left the room.

'I am sorry about that, mademoiselle Sannomme,' Cardinal Richelieu said. 'I had no idea she had killed your lover.'

'His name was Misha…' Emmanuelle said, a lone tear slipping down her cheek. 'And she slaughtered him like a pig….'

'I see…. But, I promise, the moment she falls out of my grace, I will ask upon you to assassinate her. She knows far too much to walk around freely,' Cardinal Richelieu said.

'That is much appreciated, Your Eminence,' the assassin said.

They both kept quiet for a moment.

'Now then, why have you called me here?' Emmanuelle asked.

'I have a job offer for you,' Cardinal Richelieu said. 'A fairly interesting one, I'd say.'

'Tell me.'

'I want you to become the Queen's personal bodyguard.'

'The Queen's personal bodyguard?' Emmanuelle asked surprised. 'I do hope I don't need to remind you that the King wants my head as well. Though not on a plate, he is far too sensitive for that….'

'I am aware of that,' Cardinal Richelieu said. 'But as I wrote, if you accept the offer, all charges against you will be dropped immediately.'

'Right….'

'All you have to do is protect Her Majesty with your life. In return, you will receive payment, a roof above your head, food and clothing,' the Cardinal said. 'I would consider that a fairly interesting proposal.'

'It indeed is…' the assassin said slowly.

'The Queen has requested me to find her a good bodyguard, in face of recent events regarding her own safety,' Cardinal Richelieu said. 'She prefers a woman to guard her, for trust reasons, of course.'

'And Milady de Winter is out of the question….'

'Of course, the Queen would never trust her.'

'No doubt. I have one tiny request though….'

'Which is?'

'Don't ever call me by my name again,' Emmanuelle said. 'At least not in the company of others. There is already one person too many who knows it.'

'You don't like your name?'

'No, I don't like being called by it. It is one of my closest guarded secrets. I do hope you understand.'

'I do.'

'Very well then. What are my wages?'

'Two hundred livres,' Cardinal Richelieu said.

'Two hundred? You must be joking, Your Eminence,' Emmanuelle said. 'If you are as well-informed as you claim to be, then you should know better. Two hundred livres is what I ask for murder. Though I do go lower for men of right intend.'

'You're right…. Five hundred livres, was it not? I was hoping we could strike a deal.'

'I could lower my price over the years. I do assume this will be a more permanent job.'

'It is. If the Queen likes you and wants your services, you will do this job until the Queen decides otherwise or dies,' Cardinal Richelieu said.

'Fair enough. I do have a few simple rules you ought to know and follow.'

'_You_ have some rules? Indulge me, _please_.'

'One: don't ever call me by my name. As I said, it is one of my most precious secrets. Two: do not piss me off or treat me like shit. I will sell you out without a second thought. And three, do not stab me in the back, literally or figuratively. I will do worse to you,' Emmanuelle said calmly.

'I suppose these rules are fair enough,' the Cardinal said. 'I shall have the Queen summoned, then.'

A knock on the door interrupted them.

'Come in,' Cardinal Richelieu said.

Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan entered.

'We wanted to report that the Nameless Assassin was on her way,' Athos said. 'But I see the lady already beat us here.'

'Hello again, gentlemen,' Emmanuelle said and smiled briefly. 'I trust those drunks didn't cause you too much trouble?'

'Not at all, mademoiselle,' Aramis smiled. 'It did buy you enough time to elude us again, though.'

'Yes, that was the third time today, was it not?'

'Yes…' the Musketeer said in a huff.

The assassin chuckled. 'Do not be upset, monsieur. It took me more effort than usual to get away.'

'Ahem,' the Cardinal said. 'Gentlemen, now that you're here, would you be so kind to fetch the King and Queen and Captain Treville for me?'

'Of course, Your Eminence,' Athos said and bowed slightly.

The four Musketeers turned around and left again, to fetch the King and Queen and the Captain.

'What's the catch?' Emmanuelle asked suddenly.

'What catch?' the Cardinal asked.

'I don't believe you would go to great lengths just to find the Queen a good bodyguard,' the assassin said calmly. 'So what's the hidden agenda here?'

'You will tell me every single secret she shares with you, of course,' Cardinal Richelieu said. 'If your conscience can bear it.'

'That won't be any problem. I have found myself lacking a conscience long ago….'


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry lovies, day late (again). Please don't kill us. Anyways, this is the current last chapter. We're still working on the next, so please don't kill us when it takes longer than a week. Enjoy, and please, fav/follow and leave a review!**

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><p>A few minutes later, the door opened again and the King and Queen entered, followed by the Queen's lady-in-waiting, Captain Treville and the four Musketeers.<p>

The Musketeers went to stand aside.

'Your Majesties, Captain Treville, I am glad you could make it so quick,' Cardinal Richelieu said with a slight bow.

The figure in black behind him bowed too.

'Of course, Cardinal,' Queen Anne said and she smiled reservedly. 'The Musketeers told me you had good news.'

'Indeed, Your Majesty,' the Cardinal said. 'When you asked me to find you the best possible bodyguard, I started to look everywhere. I have searched a very long time for this particular person, as it is near to impossible to track her down. But she has finally come to Paris and I managed to get her here. I can assure you that she, though her reputation may suggest otherwise, is the most reliable of bodyguards. As long as she gets paid, of course.'

'To which you will see, I assume,' Queen Anne said.

'Of course, Your Majesty,' Cardinal Richelieu said and beckoned Emmanuelle to come closer.

The assassin walked forward and came to stand next to the Cardinal.

'This, Your Majesties, is the deadliest assassin in all of Europe, simply known as the Nameless Assassin,' he said.

'What?' King Louis exclaimed. 'She is an enemy of the state! How can you trust her? She is a murderer and a thief!'

Emmanuelle looked offended.

'Your Majesty, if I may say something,' she said. 'I am offended by your accusations. You make it sound as if I am some common criminal. I am no thief. I admit to being an assassin. That is who I am. Broadly defined, it is my job to either kill people or keep them from getting killed. As long as I am paid, I will do my job. That is all.'

'But what if someone pays you more?' King Louis tried. 'What if someone bribes you?'

'There are but few people, who can afford that, Your Majesty,' the assassin smiled. 'I am not easily bribed, trust me.'

The Queen smiled too at those words.

Emmanuelle looked at her, the young and beautiful Queen of France.

'Hello, Your Majesty,' she said. 'How lovely to meet you.'

'Really?' Queen Anne asked surprised.

'Don't act so surprised, my Queen,' Emmanuelle smiled. 'The people of France love you and admire your gentle and kind-hearted nature.'

'They do?' the Queen said and blushed slightly.

The assassin nodded calmly.

'So you will be my bodyguard, then,' Queen Anne said. 'What is your name?'

'Ah… about that, Your Majesty,' Emmanuelle said. 'I have three very simple rules, which you ought to follow, should you desire for this cooperation to work.'

'Rules…?'

'Mere guidelines, though of great importance for me. I do hope you can live with that,' Emmanuelle said calmly. 'One: don't ever try to figure out my name or identity. It is one of my most valuable secrets. Two: do not piss me off or treat me like shit. I will sell you out without thinking twice. And three, do not stab me in the back, literally or figuratively. I will do worse to you.'

'Ah…' Queen Anne said slightly unnerved. 'Yes… I think I can live with that.'

'Also, please don't make me wear dresses. Though I find them quite beautiful, they are most inconvenient for those who have to be swift and near to non-existent.'

'Agreed.'

'I would like to see a display of your skill, though,' King Louis said suddenly. 'I want to see if you are as good as you claim to be.'

'Why ever not?' Queen Anne said. 'A duel between the Nameless Assassin and the best of your Musketeers perhaps, my King?'

'Sounds good.'

'If Captain Treville and the Cardinal agree as well, of course,' the Queen said.

Captain Treville and Cardinal Richelieu nodded.

'Athos?' the Captain said.

The Musketeer nodded calmly and took off his hat and cloak, followed by all his extra weapons and his jacket, which he then handed to Porthos.

'Would you mind holding my stuff for me, Your Eminence?' Emmanuelle asked.

The Cardinal nodded.

Emmanuelle handed him her hat. Then she took off her cloak, stripped herself of all her guns, daggers and knives and took off her gloves. She took off her jacket as well and revealed a white linen shirt and a black corset, which suddenly brought out her female forms. Then she put on her gloves again and drew her sword.

Cardinal Richelieu swallowed when he saw how beautiful the albino woman actually was.

He suddenly desired her deeply. He wanted to have her, in every way possible.

Emmanuelle saw him looking at her and smiled to herself.

'My God, she is actually beautiful,' Aramis mumbled when he looked at the albino.

His friends chuckled.

Athos walked towards Emmanuelle.

'First one to disarm the other wins?' he asked.

'Sure.'

'Would you like me to go easy on you?' Athos asked smiling.

'God, no,' the assassin said, slightly frowning. 'Please don't. I haven't had a proper challenge in ages.'

'As you wish, mademoiselle.'

They saluted each other.

Everyone turned silent.

A few seconds nothing happened.

Then Athos attacked. Left, right, high, low, launching, hacking and slashing.

Emmanuelle barely moved. She blocked each attack, leaned aside at each launch and deflected each blow.

'Stop playing around, Athos!' Aramis called laughing.

'I'm not,' Athos said slightly panting. 'She is too strong, too quick.'

'She's not even attacking,' Porthos said. 'She's only blocking _your_ attacks.'

'Shut up,' Athos grumbled and continued attacking.

Ten minutes of hacking, slashing and launching later, Emmanuelle had maybe moved a few inches.

Athos was exhausted.

He took a few to catch his breath.

'Why don't you attack me?' he asked the assassin.

She shrugged. 'Oh, fine…. I'll attack…' she then said.

They repositioned themselves.

Again, Athos attacked first.

However, after having blocked his first few attacks, Emmanuelle suddenly moved forward.

Quicker than anyone ever could have been, she attacked the Musketeer. He could barely keep up with her strikes. She forced him to back up more and more.

One final hard blow on Athos' hand caused him to both fall on his back and drop his sword.

Emmanuelle pointed her sword at his throat.

'I win,' she said calmly, then held her hand out and helped him up.

'That was most interesting,' Athos said. 'Thank you for this experience, mademoiselle.'

Emmanuelle smiled and bowed slightly. 'Your Majesties.'

'Wait,' King Louis said. 'I want to know how you would do against superior numbers. You three, join Athos and fight her.'

The three other Musketeers looked at each other for a moment, but shrugged and stripped themselves to nothing but their shirts and a sword, like Athos and Emmanuelle.

'The four of them against one?' Cardinal Richelieu asked. 'That hardly seems fair.'

'Don't worry, Your Eminence,' Emmanuelle smiled. 'I will go easy on them.'

The Cardinal smiled.

The four Musketeers circled the assassin. They saluted each other and then attacked.

Emmanuelle spun around, quickly blocking each attack. Firstly, she managed to disarm Porthos and caused him to fall back.

'That's one,' she said and continued.

An already tired Athos was the next person whose sword flew out of his hand by a well-aimed hit.

'Two,' Emmanuelle smiled and ducked, dodging D'Artagnan's attacks. She leaned on her hand and swept his legs from under him, while she knocked his sword out of his hand.

'Three,' she said and turned to Aramis. 'It seems you're the last one standing, monsieur.'

'Indeed,' Aramis smiled and attacked her.

Emmanuelle smiled too and blocked his attacks. She rapidly moved forward and struck several blows.

Aramis could barely keep up with her and soon enough his weapon too was knocked out of his hand.

'And that is four,' the assassin said calmly and bowed to the Queen. 'If that is all….'

Queen Anne nodded and smiled.

She watched as both the Musketeers and the assassin put their clothes and other stuff on again.

'Unless Cardinal Richelieu has some more things to discuss with you, I would like you to start working immediately,' she then said.

'No, mademoiselle and I are done for now,' the Cardinal said. 'Though I would like it if she were to teach me some swordsman skills. In light of the recent attack on my life, of course.'

'If Her Majesty allows me one afternoon a week off, then I'd be more than happy to teach His Eminence some sword-fighting,' Emmanuelle said calmly.

Queen Anne smiled. 'I don't see why not,' she said.

'Thank you, Your Majesty,' Cardinal Richelieu said and bowed again.

Emmanuelle looked at him and smiled.

The King left again, followed by Captain Treville and his four Musketeers.

Finally, Queen Anne and her lady-in-waiting walked to the door as well.

'I will have to call you something, though,' the Queen said to the assassin.

The assassin sighed. 'If you must…. You can call me Samael, if you want, my Queen,' she said.

'That's a rather unusual name…. Samael it is, then,' Queen Anne smiled and then left the room.

Emmanuelle put her hat on and followed them.

At the door, she looked back at Cardinal Armand Richelieu and winked at him.

The interest was mutual.


End file.
